Norway beat Wales 3-1 in UEFA Nations League League A Group 4 at Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo on Saturday, avenging last month's defeat in Cardiff. Antonio Nusa and substitute Andreas Schjelderup scored in the second half before David Brooks replied, and Erling Haaland's late penalty settled it, according to UEFA's official match centre, which recorded a crowd of 25,317.
Match facts
- Result: Norway 3-1 Wales (half-time 0-0)
- Competition: UEFA Nations League A, Group 4, Matchday 5
- Venue: Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo
- Scorers: Norway - Nusa 59', Schjelderup 68', Haaland 88' (pen); Wales - Brooks 79'
- Red cards: None
- Referee: Oleksii Derevinskyi (Ukraine)
- Head coaches: Ståle Solbakken (Norway), Craig Bellamy (Wales)
- Next: Denmark v Norway, Tuesday 17 November, Parken, Copenhagen; Wales v Portugal, Tuesday 17 November, Cardiff City Stadium
How the match unfolded
Wales were the more dangerous side in a goalless first half. BBC Sport and Sky Sports both reported that Daniel James had Wales' best chances. According to BBC Sport, he twice shot wide after being found by Harry Wilson before forcing the first save of the game from Norway goalkeeper Egil Selvik.
The breakthrough came on the hour. BBC Sport said Wales failed to clear a Norway corner properly, and Nusa drilled a shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner. Solbakken sent on Schjelderup for Oscar Bobb in the 66th minute, and two minutes later the substitute tapped in from Haaland's pass to make it 2-0.
Bellamy responded with a triple change in the 72nd minute, bringing on Brooks, Connor Roberts and Rubin Colwill. Brooks pulled one back seven minutes later with a delicate chip, set up by Wilson according to BBC Sport. The comeback hopes lasted until the 88th minute, when Roberts brought down Schjelderup in the box and Haaland converted the penalty. BBC Sport said it was his 66th goal in 60 internationals.
What does the result mean for Wales?
The defeat leaves Wales bottom of Group A4 with one game to play. UEFA's standings before Portugal's later game against Denmark showed Portugal top on 12 points from four games, with Norway and Denmark on six and Wales on three. Both BBC Sport and Sky Sports reported that Wales cannot overtake Norway or Denmark even by beating Portugal, because of their inferior head-to-head records.
Norway's win ended a run of three straight Nations League defeats. They had lost twice to Portugal either side of the 2-1 loss to Wales in Cardiff on 1 October. For Wales, Sky Sports reported that a bottom-placed finish need not mean automatic relegation: they stay up directly unless they are one of the two worst fourth-placed sides in League A, and would otherwise face a relegation play-off against a League B team, which BBC Sport said would come in March.
What happens next?
Both sides finish the group on Tuesday 17 November. Norway visit Denmark at Parken in Copenhagen, while Wales host the group leaders and reigning champions Portugal at the Cardiff City Stadium. Both games kick off at 19:45 UK. Wales were beaten 2-0 by Denmark earlier in the campaign.
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